Daily Devotionals

Mornings and Evenings with Jesus

Devotional: July 24th

Followers of that which is good. - 1 Peter 3:13.

NOW, when we are called upon to be imitators of that which is good, it is supposed that the good enjoined is represented and exhibited also; it is supposed that we have instances, that we have models and examples. And these we have, so that we can never be without the copies to write after. Let us enter further into this subject. And first, We are to be imitating good men: these are our examples. Many are recorded in the Scriptures of truth, and we are commanded to be “followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Many more are related in the histories and lives of good men. And we have the actual existence of such men. We have good men in all the varieties of life. We have godly young men, we have godly old men, and we have godly men in middle life, engaged in all the cares of the world; and we have godly men in prosperity, and godly men in adversity; we have godly husbands and godly wives, we have godly masters and godly servants; and so of the rest; and, though they are not free from infirmities, (nor do they profess to be free from them,) yet “These are the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.”

And then, Secondly, We have good angels: these also are our examples. They are a race of beings very superior to us in nature, for we were “made a little lower than the angels.” We know not much concerning them; but every thing we do know of them from the Scriptures places them before us as very exemplary. Now, for instance, how free are these celestial’s from envy! While the elder brother in the parable was filled with rage and madness at the reception his poor prodigal brother met with from his forgiving father, they were only filled with ecstasy; and “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” How remarkable is their condescension and their kindness! We are told that they are all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister unto them that shall be heirs of salvation. And see their union, their harmony, their correspondence: they cry one to another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts! the whole earth is full of his glory I” See how they study the redemption of Christ: we nowhere read of their being naturalists, but they are Christian students; they “desire to look into these things,-the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” See how they love and adore our Saviour. He was “seen of angels;” all the angels of God worship him. John heard them saying, with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing;” while we see also how that, though they “excel in strength,” they do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word, so that he says to one, “Go, and he goeth,” to another, “Come, and he cometh,” and to each of them, “Do this, and he doeth it.” Their employments are very varied: we read of one angel carrying a meal to Elijah under the juniper-tree, and another going to show poor Hagar, who was dying with thirst, a well; yet they are all equally pleased, whatever be their engagements, because they are equally doing the will of God, and are pleasing him; and therefore our Saviour tells us to pray that “His will may be done on earth, as it is done in heaven.”

This is not all: we have a good God, and he is our example. Dr. Doddridge renders the text, “If ye be imitators of him who is good,” meaning (says he) God. He is the Source and the perfection of all excellency, and we are expressly required to be imitators of him. Therefore our Saviour said, “Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for he maketh the sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect;” and says the apostle to the Ephesians, “Be ye followers of God as dear children;” and says God, “Be ye holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” We are required to imitate God, not as the greatest, but as the best, of Beings,-as One whose goodness constitutes his glory.

Hence, to furnish us with every advantage for imitation, the divine example was humanized, and we read that “God was manifested in the flesh.” How wonderful it is that people are not more struck with the importance of the incarnation, not only as to the article of atonement, but even as to the article of example! The divine example in humanity is (so to speak) softened down; it is brought near to us, and it is rendered even more complete,-not more complete in itself, but more complete relatively and with regard to us. For there were many things in God in which otherwise he could not have been our model and our example: had he not come in the flesh, he could not have gone before us in the performance of those duties which imply dependence and reverence. He could not have gone before us in a course of obedience and suffering.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. - 2 Corinthians 4:17.

HOW important it is that we should be able to derive this confidence with regard to the end and issue of our afflictions. From these none are exempted. “Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward.” If there be no outward trouble, there is the hearts bitterness, which is known only to the sufferer. If the “thorn in the flesh” be so deeply inserted as not to be seen, it may be on that very account the more painful. A pious female who had been much indulged by the providence of God, once said to the writer, “You see my sails, but you do not see my ballast;” and there is always something as “ballast” connected with the successes and indulgences of Christians.

While the cup of affliction is going round from family to family, and individual to individual-while one is saying, I am “made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me”-and while another is saying, “Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness”-these afflictions may be very useful, they may “work for us” the most blessed results; they may subserve the very purpose of our salvation, and they are much more likely to do this than mere successes. The Christian character is more formed from trials than from indulgences; for “Happy is the man whom the Lord correcteth.”

Many can bear testimony to this, and how many can say, “It is good for me to have been afflicted!” They have found in “the valley of Achor the door of hope.” The first meeting with God was on the bed of affliction or in the chamber of sickness. “Oh,” says one, “if it had not been for these trials and bodily infirmities I might have gone astray: I might have lived according to the course of this world, and perished at last along with it.” If the vine had reason, it would be thankful for the sharpest cuttings of the gardener’s knife; or if the fallow ground had reason, it would be thankful for the ploughshare which tears it up, and prepares it by this process for the reception of the seed. If we are in trouble, it is blessed to know how light and momentary will be every trial, and that “all things are working out for us a far more exceeding and an eternal weight of glory.”

Oh! what will all outward losses be if we can only add, “I have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.”